6 January 2007

The hidden costs of Summernats?

| johnboy
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The evidence as seen in Braddon (phone camera before the photo nerds start up):

Now it’s hardly a statistically valid sample. But on the other hand there aren’t burned out bins and smoking piles of garbage on the street any other day of the year. Sure, it’s almost certainly not the work of anyone actually coming to town for Summernats.

But doesn’t it ever encourage the idiots out there!

Anyone else notice a rise in vandalism over this weekend?

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They should ban Summernats. The amount of pricks that turn up here is ridiculous. We’ve got enough of them here already thanks. It’s great how they can all do burn outs in the middle of Civic and make our streets look a mess. Stanhope and Co. gladly turn a blind eye for 4 days just because they reckon it’s good for Canberra’s economy. Well I for one, don’t. Next year, tell them to **** off someplace else.

Danman: I think we’ve been elevated to the status of “photo nerds”.
Think my feelings are just a little bit hurt…sniffs.

Does the cost of the extra policing required get factored in when they talk about the econ benefits?
My sympathies to the locals. Bet you’re glad it’s over for another year!

The businesses do have fork out for armed guards as well of course. (woolies grog shp does anyway.)

Judging by the crowds – i think a fair few businesses in Braddon and Dickson would have made a decent amount over the weekend, especially pubs and bottle-os.

Summernats does provide a fair amount of customers this time of year, considering half the public service and most students are still out of town.

captainwhorebags4:56 pm 08 Jan 07

Summernats isn’t my thing, but hey, different strokes for different folks. IMHO events that raise the profile of Canberra are a great thing and for this reason i think ‘nats, Floriade, Multicultural Festival, GMC400 (when it was here) are great events for the city.

I do believe that the funding should have had conditions applied to it, and directed into certain areas, rather than “hey Chic, here’s $300k to play with. Cheers mate”.

Strange that this bloke Henry who presides over an arguably bogan event, can be called ‘chic’. I thought that word was more relevant to Paris haute-couture, and the like. Maybe he wears the latest Armani gear?

The benefits go mostly to woolworths, shell and macdonalds.

Local business gets a look in through hotels, the sex industry, and motor vehicle services.

Your taxes, however, went directly to Chic Henry this year.

These economic benefits they always raise when loud,unpleasant events are held. Who gets the benefits? where’s my benefits?

I remember the first Summernats were incredibly loud and disruptive, the locals raised a ruckus (understandably), and they dialled it back a lot. Sounds like Mr Henry is upping the ante again.

Deadmandrinking1:12 am 08 Jan 07

An ambulance was called to pick up a guy who passed out at a servo in kippax on fri night. Mullets were abound. Must have been a good summernats.

Yep its all good fun apart from a few dickheads but so be it. Its in the quietest time of the year for Canberra as well. On thing I did notice was a few vacancy signs on some of the hotels on Northbourne where its normally all booked out.

Been using those Bose 3 noise canceling head phones while going for my daily bike ride and they did a great job in cutting out the noise for me even for the loudest of V8s while listening to Roy and HG podcasts from JJJ.

Well it was a novelty to me.

In the past i have told people summernats is fine – and it is better than it used to be. but this year it has been sh*t to live near.

But on the other hand there aren’t burned out bins and smoking piles of garbage on the street any other day of the year.

Just to be pedantic, I have actually seen stuff like this from time to time across various locations in Canberra….

Seepi, you’re in Hackett, yeah? I agree, it has been noisier this year.

Bonfire, I’d say most of us here are chronic whiners.

seepi you are a chronic whiner.

if you want a quiet life, dont live in a CITY – fuck off to the country and isolate yourself from all the conveniences city living provides.

at least it (and you) will be quiet.

It’s not a hidden benefit – we hear about the tourists ad nauseum.
The neighbouring suburbs do pay a price though – streets closed off, rubbish everywhere, no glass sold in the shops, and the really loud revving and music going until after midnight for 3 nights. Last year it didn’t bother me, but this year it is driving me crazy.Why is it louder this year???

nonexistantname3:41 pm 07 Jan 07

The hidden benefit? the $12~15 Million of revenue it brings to the ACT. Please do inform us what else brings this much tourism to Canberra? The Museum which now has a skylight thanks to the storms? And you know you’re more selfish than smart when you start looking to blame others for the voluntary and informed mistakes you choose to make. Stop blaming people for your own problems, you’re in Braddon. Expect things like that to happen around the goverment apartments.

Maybe the locals have gone insane from the summernats noise. does anyone know why they keep playing Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – do they play it over the pa when someone wins something or what? i hope it winds up by midnight.

FFS!

must be summernats because theres never any crime in braddon outside 2nd week in january.

blame your local bogan junkie.

Woody Mann-Caruso8:54 pm 06 Jan 07

I hear the Army is going to recruit at Summernats – something about desirable mechanical skills and a “larrakin” attitude. I hope my local hoons are sent to the front line in Iraq or Afghanistan ASAP and die defending democracy.

Vic Bitterman6:01 pm 06 Jan 07

I reckon it was the ACT Greens who did that, in an alleged revenge attack for not recycling the stubbies…

Yes, we prefer bins when practising with our flame-throwers, as using real people can be complicated if we are caught.

…see Dirty Deakin we had two bins burned about a month ago. Is it bored kids that think this is fun? I thing the Summernats crowd are too busy fussing over their cars to cause trouble! This is a problem with the locals not the tourists.

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